Electric steering-gear



(No Model.) z sneethsheet 1. E. H. MUMPORD.

ELEGTRIO STEERING GEAR. No. 479,828. Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

WITNESSES INVENTOQ? (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. H. MUMFORD.

ELECTRIC STEERING GEAR No. 479,828. Patented Aug. 2, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR H. MUMFORD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC STEERlNG-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,828, dated August2, 1892. Application filed August 20, 1891. Serial No. 403,198, (Nomodel.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR H. MUMFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, county of IVayne, State of Michigan, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Steering-Gear; and Ideclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to steering-gear for vessels, and has for itsobject the production of an apparatus by means of which complete controlof the rudder of a vessel can be had by the use of the electric powerproduced by either voltaic or dynamic electric generator. To accomplishthis result, I employ the mechanism represented in the accompanyingdrawin gs, in which- Figure 1 shows a plan. Fig. 2 shows an elevation.Figs. 3 and 4 show two forms of brake mechanism connected with thetillermotor. Fig. 5 shows a detail of the brake contact-pieces.

A represents the rudder-post; B, the tillerarm; GD, two curved arms ofmagnetic metal firmly fixed to the tiller-arm and having their center ofcurvature concentric with the center of the rudder-post.

E F are two curved solenoids having their centers of curvatureconcentric with the center of the rudder-post.

O and D together form a double plunger firmly attached to the tiller l3and free to vibrate around the rudder-post A as a center.

0 is a curved arm free to vibrate within the solenoid E; D, a similarcurved arm free to vibrate within the solenoid F. v

G indicates a switchboard arranged to switch the currentat will intoeither F E or both F and E or to break the circuit, so that there Willbeno currentin either F or E. Thus let a represent the line-wire. Byplacing switch 11 on b the current will pass through I) I) Z1 and returnthrough c, completing the circuit and exerting a moving force in thesolenoid F upon the arm D and tending to draw the tiller B toward thesolenoid F. Similarly by placing switch H on d the current will passthrough d d (Z c, and,completing the circuit, exert a moving force onarm 0. By placing switch H on e f the current will divide, and, passingthrough both solenoids, equalize the force on the two arms 0 D.

To aid in holding the rudder, I employ a brake mechanism. (Shown inFigs. 3, 4, and 5.) In Fig. 3 the brake-head K is shown arranged to bepushed into braking contact by means of a spring S, pressing against athrustblock T and the pin 5.

The brake-head K is at the end of a bar 7c of magnetic material,arranged to be drawn against the force of the spring S when the electriccurrent passes through the coil M. The brake head or shoe K pressesagainst a circular arm L, held by spokes Z Z to the rudderpost.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the spring S draws the brake away from thearm L and the contact is made by the movement due to the electric forcein the coil M. In this form the arm L and the brake-head K shouldpreferably both be made of magnetic material, as in such case theplunger force is augmented by the magnetic force temporarily produced inthe plunger composed of brake-head K and its stem. The switchboard isarranged in the one case, as in Fig. 3, to throw the coil M into circuitfor the purpose of withdrawing the brake from frictional contact withthe triotion-arm at the same time that the solenoid E or F is throwninto circuit to operate the arm 0 or D, while in Fig. at the switch isarranged to turn the current through the coil M only when it is switchedoff from both E and F. In each form the coils or solenoids E F M M arefirmly secured to the body or deck of the vessel. The moving parts aresecured to the rudder-post. The movable brake-head and plunger is heldin proper guiding-blocks secured to the deck.

Any desired amount of power may be ob tained by placing the curvedplunger-arms and solenoids in series one above another throughout therudder-post, as indicated in Fig. 2, where two sets are indicated placedone above another.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as novel, and desire tohave secured to me by Letters Patent, is-

1. A steering apparatus for vessels, consisting of a rudder andrudder-post, a tiller and a curved arm of magnetic material attachedthereto concentric to said rudder-post, and a solenoid fixed to the bodyof the vessel, arranged to receive within its coils a portion of saidcurved arm and to move it around its central support through the forceof an elec tric current passing through said solenoid, substantially asand for the purpose described.

2. In a steering apparatus, the combination of a rudder,rudder-post;tiller-arm, a circular arm of magnetic material attached atits middle point to said tiller-arm and extending in either directiontherefrom into a curved solenoid, a line in electric connection with anelectric generator, and a switch adapted to switch the circuit intoeither or both of said EDGAR H. MUMFORD. Witnesses;

CHARLES F. BURTON, MARION A. REEVE.

